Business Modeling

Posted on 2009-11-05 filed under: Development (RSS) 48 views

Business Modeling (Business Modeling) software model is described by enterprise management and business objects and elements involved, as well as their properties, behavior and their relations, business modeling system's emphasis on the way to understand, design and architecture of Enterprise Information system.

Business Modeling (Business Modeling) is a collection of modeling method, the purpose of business modeling. Work in this area may include the business process modeling, modeling of business organizations to improve business processes, the field of modeling and so on.

I. Why Business Modeling

Brooks said the master, more than three decades a wide range of applications (Application Programs AP) several times to amend the amendment change has become different, as a group of monsters, it is difficult to tame.

Rogerson said the master, The application is a rock in the river of change. (Application (system) has become the trend of changes in the rock).

For many enterprises, there is a unification of corporate information systems departments of desire seems to have become an extravagant hope. Enterprises more or less there will be some applications of automation in the operation of auxiliary enterprises, when in charge of corporate information on the current hope to be able to integrate information systems, to meet the needs of the development of enterprises, they disappointed. Most of the application of the lack of a unified interface, it is difficult to integrate.

In the course of our project development banks, we also found this problem, different departments can not be connected between the systems, the inter-departmental business processes to go through manual handling.

Previously, the development of applications are based on the functions of departments built. Simply established in order to address the purpose of applications. Therefore, the establishment of the application of this approach is region-specific functions (Function Area) established. As for how to make a number of enterprise application systems work together, not in the designers had taken into account. With the development of enterprises, enterprises will find the need to change to adapt to market changes, business development, a series of original applications has become a stumbling block for enterprise development, which allows enterprises had to return to the era of hand.

To address this situation, there is no corresponding solution then? The solution is to start modeling from a business, rather than from a lower level (sector-level or below) to start. Through use case analysis techniques, the establishment of a company's business model, cutting appropriate, select and stable software architecture, analysis of a business entity (Business Entity small enterprises can not be separated from things, abstract or concrete, such as accounts, contracts, etc., but also known as the Business Object), on this basis, the assembly of components (Component), implemented in the corresponding three-tier structure, the establishment of region-specific functional applications.

To do so by the process of enterprise applications, regardless of the size of the sector-level or enterprise-level, there is room for expansion. To component-based three-tier software architecture, but also be able to better cope with business change (corresponding smaller price changes). The first step in the whole process is the business model.

Not long ago, China has become very popular business process reengineering BPR (Business Process Re-engineering) the term. BPR in the term R (Re-engineering) is the term Dr. Hammer pointed out that companies need to promote the redesign of four levels: Re-position, Re-organization, Re-system, Re-vitalizing the re-engineering ; the name of the P (Process), it is managed by the sales, procurement to financial, production at all levels, to seek to reduce costs, increase output, the need to design sophisticated enterprise management processes or procedures. The word and are currently in series with the ERP, ERP has become the pre-engineering, ERP has become can be established to ensure the perfect enterprise management system to support high performance of the most important factor. Actually, this is what we are talking about BPR's business model.

We can see that the business model in the ERP project has been highlighted, and the ERP of BPR has become a separate academic subject. Not only that, even in the common information systems, business modeling is also very important, the different size of just more than they. This point, one may not understand, if you just set up business automation applications, do not directly copy the business model it on the list. There are two reasons, first, business model enterprises mainly in the environment may be a good run, but the package did not move on the move to the computer may not be suitable for the. Human and the computer's ability to be very different, and so the process must be adapted to the computer; the second reason is that already mentioned above, avoid at departmental level, some features of the application system region.

In RUP, the business process modeling is used as input the lower reaches of emphasis: business model is the workflow needs of an important input to understanding the needs of the system. Business entity is to analyze the design of an input process, the design model used to determine the type of entity. (RUP)

Second, the purpose of business modeling

Understanding of the target tissue (to be deployed the system in which the organization) of the structure and mechanism.
Understanding of the target tissue in the existing problems and to identify possibilities for improvement.
To ensure that customers, end-users and developers to reach a consensus on the target tissue.
Export target tissue necessary to support system requirements.
To achieve these objectives, the business modeling workflow of how to develop new prospects for the target tissue and to determine based on the prospects of the organizations in the business use case model and business object model of the processes, roles and responsibilities.

These models as a supplement, has also developed the following work:

Statute of the replenishment of the operational
Glossary
Workflow with other relations

Business Modeling workflow processes with the other relations are as follows:

Demand business workflow model is an important input to understanding the needs of the system.
Business entity is to analyze the design of an input process, the design model used to determine the type of entity.
Workflow environment to support the development and maintenance work, such as "Business Modeling Guidelines."

Third, the scale of business modeling

According to the environment and the needs of different business model may have different size. The following is a list of six such scenes.

Scene # 1 - Organization Chart

You may need to build the schematic organization and its processes in order to better understand the application is to build demand. In this case, the business modeling software became part of the project, it was mainly the implementation of first phase of the Kai. Typically, these work only in the beginning to draw the organization chart, and its purpose is not to make changes to the organization. But, in fact, build and deploy a new application would proceed to a certain degree of operational improvement.

Scene # 2 - the field of modeling

If you build applications is the main purpose of the management and delivery of information (for example, order management system or the banking system), then you may choose to construct at the operational level of the information model, without taking into account the business workflow. This is called the field of modeling. Details see the workflow: model development. Typically, the field of software engineering modeling is part of the project, it is Kai at the project stage and the first stage of refinement implementation.

Scene # 3 - more than a single business system

If you are building a large system (that is, a series of applications), then the work of a business model may be several projects in software engineering input. Business model to help you identify the functional requirements, and also as a framework to build applications for the importation of series. For further information, please refer to the concept: from the business model to the system. In this case, the business model is usually work as a project in itself.

Scene # 4 - Common business model

If you are building a number of organizations for the application (for example, sales support applications or closing applications). An effective approach is to: a business model from start to finish, so by the management of these organizations to adjust to them, to avoid too complex for the system demand (Business Improvement). However, if the organization can not be adjusted, then the business model work can help you to understand and manage these organizations to use existing at the time of the application of the difference, and your applications more easily determine the function of priority.

Scene # 5 - New Business

If an organization decided to start a new business (business creation), and build information systems to support the business, then the need for business modeling. In such cases, the purpose of business modeling is not just to identify the needs of the system, but also to determine the feasibility of new business. In this case, the business model is usually work as a project in itself.

Scene # 6 - Revision

If an organization decided to conduct a thorough management of its Laws (renewal business), then the business model itself is usually one or more items. Typically, the business completed the reconstruction stages: new business prospects, the implementation of the reverse engineering of existing business, the implementation of new business as well as being the launch of a new business project.

Fourth, the business model of the main tasks of the period

Project stakeholder shared vision: to the success of the project may be inseparable from the support of the project stakeholders. At the start of the project, whether public or the development of project-related personnel, the task of the project, the scope is ambiguous. However, as the project depth, the original fuzzy picture will gradually clear up a three-dimensional. However, in order not to waste time, we need to project into before, and now the project involved the erection of the public in a common vision.

The erection of a shared vision can not imagine that in that simple, because each stakeholder are concerned about their own interests, has its own criteria. You can put everyone's views are set out in the whiteboard, and then focus on one by one, to make amendments to the agreement until all of the time so far. The erection of a common vision in the process, in fact, there are two things have been done at the same time, the project scope (scope) and high-end (high-level) demand.

The scope of the project: the project do not do, the need for a clear definition of the beginning. Within the scope of the project needs, do not let a, and projects, a concern not to go. Although sometimes there will be conducive to changes in the scope of the project itself, for example, the reasonable requirements of customers or target customers of the changes in the market, but this change should be in the "resources to support" and "get approval" of the premise.

Description of the scope of the project can be carried out statements and icons. I suggest that you use the icon. Comparison because the statement is ambiguous statements. For example, customers have often heard that said. "I want to build my company's e-commerce systems." This sentence is ambiguous, your e-commerce sales system is what products? What is customer-oriented? Whether or not to support the online payment? According to these questions, the declarative sentence can be modified further, "the establishment of online ordering system, the goal of the current sale of the company's current customer products." This clearly has many. But the way the icons better choice in the map, you can use the DFD or Use Case Diagram Fig. Based on experience, DFD map for customers more easily accepted.

High-level requirements: this part we will discuss in detail in the following. Since it is a high-end demand, we can not discuss too many details. During the discussion of high-demand, as far as possible to ensure that the discussion of rapid overview of the system, the establishment of the demand model, the project has been unanimously adopted by the stakeholders.

Access to support: the demand for the scheme in order to ensure the smooth conduct of the project to obtain the support of stakeholders is essential. You can choose to tell the project at this time related to the public of their rights and obligations, as well as the developer's rights and obligations. In this regard, the specific I do not want to say, we can refer to software requirements 』『 Chapter II. Is the main "stakeholders demand the right to change, at the same time the developers have to bear the obligation to explain the demand." Developer rights and obligations, and stakeholders just the opposite.

Business Modeling Conference: All this all through the business modeling session, and various other meetings, this meeting the needs of all stakeholders to participate in the project, if not all the items to obtain the views of stakeholders, it is not perfect. Meeting the most important tool is the white board, a good stenographer is necessary.

5, needs and business modeling

Business needs of engineering modeling is the most initial stage, but also the initial stage of the whole project. It should be noted that the time span of business modeling projects in different significant difference. In some projects, such as large-scale ERP systems, may need a few months. As for the general projects, business modeling may only take a few days.

Unrelated to the needs of technology (technology independent) of the. Stage of discussion in the demand for technology is of no significance. That will spread your attention. The realization of technical details behind the analysis, design stage need to consider the matter. Modeling stage in the business, not only to ensure that the needs of the technology has nothing to do, but also to ensure that your needs without going into further detail. Because in the business modeling phase, the most important thing is to understand the whole business, in-depth details will be a waste of time and effort. Need to know to discuss the business of an enterprise in the details, even if you did not a month will be the end.

In practice, these two points are very difficult to do. For example, the original company has a system, which you have discussed and the issue of compatibility of the old and the new system. At this time we should note that if you are there to discuss the structure of the system, it has nothing to do or are technical in scope, if you once and then discuss the specific modules / components of the details, it is not a technology not only has nothing to do, but also in depth details the. Without going into further detail, the issue is often very difficult for you to prohibit the project stakeholders (Stakeholder) ① not discuss details related to the business. This time you can record these details, and then go back to the business modeling.

① A stakeholder is defined as anyone who is materially affected by the outcome of the project.
All stakeholders will be a significant impact on the results of the project people.

Excerpt from "IBM DeveloperWorks"

Six, business use case modeling

In the last article we discussed a lot of knowledge of use case, but the implementation of the enterprises, we often feel difficult to grasp the business use case, which we use case also the errors mentioned. In practice, you may have a role in the classification, the division of use cases, such as particle size is to grasp the details are not the end, but these practical things for your project has a very big impact.

RUP, there are a wide range of concepts to support the realization of use cases: Business protagonist (Business Actor), business entities (Business Entity), Business Use Cases (Business Use Case), the role of business (Business Worker), business use case examples (Business Use - Case Instance). In order to more clearly show the business model, we have adopted on behalf of the UP methodology - RUP. In practice, however, all depends on the specific circumstances of the case, talked about the concept here is to help you understand the modeling process, so that everyone is not applied mechanically.

In a long time ago, we discussed the volatility of demand. Vis-à-vis the ever-changing needs, but the target business entity for a long period of time there. Discount airlines today, and tomorrow does not play, there are folded out,暗折. But the ticket has not seen any major changes, it has only a few attributes: price, flights, departure and destination. Therefore, the business entity is relatively stable. This is that we have a lot of sense:

"A business entity represents a use case on a number of business cases or examples of things of value, therefore, the survival of the business entity objects for a long period. In general, a good business entity does not include the use of on the subject and the use of information. "(RUP)

By the business entity composed of a lot of business with regular stable. In the past, the development of methods based on a modular approach, changes in demand, had to rewrite module. If the use of stable business entities to achieve the business use case, then changes in business use cases for business entities only need to re-combination. Of course, this also requires a lot of technology to achieve, and not so simple. We should know that not a day on the four modernizations can be achieved.

There is also a business entity to use an important reason: the nature of business entities, it has a natural reusability. Just as McDonald's hamburger in the distribution system entities, the production system also, supply chain systems as well. Alas, this world is really beautiful!

The use of a very large business entities, should be confused as a category it is still property. This depends on the business environment on the importance of this entity. A customer in the bank credit departments is a very important category, and in the documentary letter of credit departments is an example of an attribute. The importance of this issue. Errors in the design of future systems may lead to great pains to improve. For example, the design for this type of design has become a business entity attributes, attributes the increase in the future when faced with the database had to adjust and modify the system.

6. To establish business use case model

Business use case model (business use-case model), as defined in the RUP are:

The business use-case model is a model of the business intended functions. The business use-case model is used as an essential input to identify roles and deliverables in the organization.

Business use case model is that the business model is expected to function. As a core input model, business use case model is used to determine the role of various organizations and the delivery of the workpiece.

From the operational definition of use case model can be seen, it is the core business, the most general description. It is mainly used by business cases and business consisting of the protagonist, and its main purpose is to customers and partners is how to do business, and it describes the main form of business through the business use-case approach. The photo shows the business under the RUP use case model of the icon.

Business use case model

From the figure we can clearly see that the business use case model, including a group of business use cases. This is because the business enterprises are usually used by a number of business cases constitute more than one instance. The formation of these business enterprises use case workflow may be triggered by the leading business, but also by the business rules may be triggered by ②.

② Business Rules (Business Rules): the business must abide by the rules or conditions of the policy statement. (Business Rules are declarations of policy or conditions that must be satisfied.)

Business use case model is in fact a business description of the business, in order to establish a complete and accurate business use case model, attention should be focused on business things done, rather than focus on what should be done. Even though it may be some conflict with business use cases, with repeated, but the idea of RUP is iterative, the work can be in the next iteration cycle to improve.

Business use case and business model is most close to the computer model. It's a lot of thinking and day-to-day operation of the same enterprise. Day-to-day activities in the enterprise, the business may have a variety of types. ERP in some thinking about the article, usually to emphasize three categories:

One is the main business and is closely related to the work of the business department such as banks, credit department, the Department of Trade and so on. This kind of work through the labor, the changes will be a resource to another resource, resulting in value.

One is the management-type work, such as the company's management, the financial sector. This kind of work does not of itself create value, but through the guidance, management, detection of the first work to increase the first output value of the work.

There is also a known as the support work, such as systems management, security and so on. It is not very important, with the support of the nature of other work.

Business model can also use this classification. In this classification, you can better grasp the core business use case, in order to lay a good foundation for the next step.

There are many business use case is triggered by the leading business, RUP is also the main character and business operations associated with cases of relations known as the core business use case (Core Business Use Case). It stressed the importance of building a business model is designed to provide user-centric services. This is why we set up a time when the business use case should take note of.

Of course, sometimes the business use case is triggered by the user needs in order to produce results. For example, market research companies conduct business on the main character is not triggered, but the accumulation of a large number of companies the result of user requests. As for the management of type, support-based, non-direct and business-type characters linked to customers, but also has its main business-specific, such as the management of the business use case-based needs and the board of directors for the occurrence of contact to support the type of business use cases and suppliers may contact occurred.

In the establishment of the basic business use case model, the refinement of this model is very necessary at this time in the previous chapter, we described the relationship between use cases and use of the expansion will have a useful relationship. In addition to these two kinds of relationships, there is a new relationship.

7. In the relationship between the use of business modeling

Generalization relations (Generalization): According to my understanding, you can look at it as we are more familiar with the relationship between the inheritance of a relationship is very similar. Generalization generalized word, summed up the meaning. It is a relatively abstract terms. Although the relationship between it and the succession is very similar to, but they have the purpose of the use of the environment and there are differences. The chart below describes the four business entities in the relationship between the generalization:

When you go to McDonald's time (Do not get me wrong, I am not very frequent), would choose the chicken Hamburg Wheat, Wheat fish custard or Hamburg Hamburg. However, the three Hamburg, respectively, to establish business entities on the very meaningless. Therefore, they can be summed up in Hamburg, the business entity. Similarly, business processes can be summed up in a number of shared attributes and behavior. Many times in order to avoid the same workflow, you can act on the total business with a separate case. Known as the father of use cases, implementation of sub-use case examples of the use case will follow the parent use case flow of events, at the same time to insert additional behavior or modify events in the sub-use case definition of the behavior stream.

8. The choice of method

I am more than the principle of the method used UP. However, in addition to UP methods, as well as XP, FDD and other methods. Therefore, in modeling the time to do business, but also according to different methods of selecting the appropriate parts. For example, material and function. Methods The quality of this article is not the focus of the discussion, I will discuss another method of an article. Once again be emphasized that the above discussion of the workpiece RUP only to study, so the definition of the more complicated parts, to distinguish the difference between them. In practice, however, does not need so much work, it will make your project stakeholders and developers confused. The distinction between these parts as long as your heart in it.

Sixth, the principles of business modeling (Principle)

1. Who is the "God"

We say that customer is God, because the importance of customer, the customer occupies a decisive position. However, in software development, is that the one who in the end decided to power? Is funded side, or project experience, or a programmer?

Unclear, the failure of business modeling is one of the main reasons. We can easily see that the requirements of customers to their own highly concentrated in just a few words after the throw developers, or developers in accordance with the meaning of their own development process. Can we say that between the customers and developers is really the "heart are linked," you do not need to communicate.

In my previous article already mentioned the project stakeholders and the development of the rights and obligations of staff, I would like to stress once again that there is a need. Scott W. Ambler, said:

it is the role of project stakeholders to provide requirements, it is the role of developers to understand and implement them.

In a development I encountered in the course of a very interesting related to the public, he needs in his analysis, he wrote: "In short, in order to achieve the kind of features can think of will be able to do so." I think that the stakeholders of our computer industry has a very ambitious vision. But I shall not be rude to tell him it is not currently realistic to achieve.

You may find it funny listening to, but in dealing with my own and customer's career, a few such clients. The reality is that this way, how do you want? After the smile, and disregard it? I think most people do. Because his request them ridiculous. However, do you have to spend time to find out that he absurdity of this behind him, then what does that mean? I think that software developers have the obligation of education stakeholders, you need to guide your stakeholders so that they can find their own voice. I see that the stakeholders of this sentence, it took some time to understand, in fact, the matter is simply that he wanted a custom report template to function. And after the end of the project and I had the honor of the stakeholders of the co-operation once again, this time, he has become an excellent customer side of the project leader.

This case, what does? Stakeholders are often experts in the field, for their deep understanding of the work, but due to lack of understanding of software development, stakeholders often express confusion, or even see their own needs to express. At this time, which is fully illustrated by the ability of your time. Remember, God treated in the same way as you treat customers.

2. Patience is the most important

Understand who is "God", then God should be treated. Those who study science and engineering, the general thinking in terms of logic would have been better, but for the stakeholders, it can be is not necessarily the case. I encountered a file to do the work of stakeholders, in understanding the demand, pulling东扯西ambiguous. 1 minutes ago clearly negative way, the next minute they mentioned at all. I think I should be a good temper, and can be made to the last almost Biao. Fortunately, I hold down finally. I think after this incident, I have the patience index also improved a great bar.

I have a colleague that I admire the patience, in a website project, he was responsible for system analysis. He spent a full three days, and the person in charge of the project site to live with. Following the final analysis, his spirit is also good, but the person in charge is almost the point of death.

Of course, this is just a joke, is not hard to encourage everyone. Or very important to not do any work, physical capital is why the revolution. But this tells us that if a lack of patience, and demand is very difficult to succeed. For example, in the discussion of business modeling at the meeting, you provided while meeting the needs of the high-end, but it was some debate from time to time the Federation of mung bean seeds of the small things. How do you do? I believe that this situation is very common.

Will be reflected in the final communication will only be patient communication, you can open the heavy demand for the veil. Human behavior will always be the guiding ideology, if you are inextricably connected with the masses knot, you can not understand what he really needs.

I have a project involving the performance of very strange people, she always kept one thing to say: "She automatically generated statements in order to achieve." She needs to speak as if the total is not off limits, but I She almost did not hear from where else. At this time, I have decided to give up, I would like from where she may have no additional information has been. However, I understand that the work she takes up her statements to deal with a lot of time, I changed their minds. I took some time to help her sort out ideas to deal with the statements, she also gave me other areas of great help.

3. Participation is important

XP as an important method of practice, that is, the promotion of "site customer" (on-site customer). In other words, customers and developers should always be together, at any time to provide information and make decisions. The customer must also be experts in the field, but also have the right to make decisions.

This site customer organizations believe that most of the software also can not do. However, previous efforts must. In my view, such an on-site customer, there are two people: one is the project involving the public, there is also an industry expert. In fact, many software companies will be equipped with a number of management consultants, industry experts is that these people. There are data that the software company in Guangdong Province, the consultants and developers to achieve the 3:1 ratio. I think this is a good thing. Project stakeholders are often the work of their own affairs and some deep understanding, but it is very difficult to be a theoretical level. At this time a number of industry experts on the need to help. Let industry experts and stakeholders to discuss the project, but also to project stakeholders to stimulate inspiration, think of the original aspects of his thought. This is the "latent demand" development.

On the other hand, also implies the need to participate in projects involving the public into the heart of the business process modeling to be able to motivate them. Therefore, the process is too complex would hinder the participation of stakeholders. Therefore, the use of some simple for customers to accept the workpiece (Artifact) to carry out the business model is necessary. I said to those discussed earlier, "the protagonist," ah, "Use Cases" ah, that is theory, is looking for developers, so developers have a heart at the end. You see these stakeholders, they understand it? They understand this mechanism, I am afraid it cold all day lily.

Material (User Story), features (Feature), CRC cards are a very good job, which is simple and able to meet the need.

Knowledge points: materials and characteristics of users have expressed a simple request, it can be completed within a short period of time. Material is the method of the workpiece XP, FDD method is characterized by the workpiece. CRC is a class, responsibility, collaborator of the abbreviation, it is a card is divided into three parts, namely the type of tag names, type of responsibility, as well as between the types of cooperation. Very close to customers, or even play in the completion of the process of filling out the card, customers can bring a very strong participation.

4. To embrace change

I think this point would be the same developers accused. After all, the demand for change is the development of a most annoying things in the past. Yes, I also hate. However, as we often say "crying will not solve the problem", the hate can solve our problems? Refused to change the customer's requirement specification needs of customers to sign. These practices can only be counter-productive. There is no positive meaning.

Demand for the necessary change management is important. Because of the endless, uncontrolled changes will definitely lead to great waste of resources. However, on the other hand, the demand for change was accepted standard should be "reasonable" and the demand for change requires us to iterative development, including requirements, design, implementation phases. Only in this way can change the risk will be minimized. This is when we discuss the specific needs of the time modeling further discussion.

To embrace a change in the higher-level change is expected in advance. To develop a list of possible changes to record the changes that may arise. The simplest example is the development of an enterprise after the Invoicing system hoped that associated with the development of accounting systems. If you can leave room in advance, I believe can save a lot of effort. Another expected change is through the use of models. But bear in mind that the use of models can not be over. These are the way, if I will have the opportunity to other articles focus on this issue.

Seven, business modeling practice (Practice)

5. Modeling Conference

Business meeting is the most important means of modeling. Although the meeting in China, always carry some notoriety, but as long as the organization well, it is a very effective communication (Communication) means. Modeling is a large-scale meeting of the Conference, in other words, all relevant staff should attend the meeting. Period in the business modeling, the main aim is to establish a high-demand system, which requires large number of projects involving the joint participation of the public to ensure that the needs here. So, modeling the meeting is a very large scale. Donors and senior managers, managers, direct users, developers, all parties should face the people to participate or be represented at meetings modeling.

If you have had the experience of participating in major conferences are all aware, the more large-scale meetings, it is the lower efficiency of decision-making. This is normal. Because a person's time, no communication, the highest decision-making efficiency. Wait until the two people, they need to communicate to decision-making. Wait for three people, this communication and to reach agreement on a longer time. If the number to four, five or even twenty individuals, most of the time it will be spent on communication. Moreover, the concept and also between different interests struggle. So, in order to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the meeting should follow certain rules:

To prepare: If you want to meet even the content was not clear how you will do it. First of all you have to spend a lot of time to explain the purpose of your meeting, is not it. To advance the theme of the conference agenda, together with the meeting notice sent to participants so that they first have to prepare the beginning of the meeting will be able to quickly enter the topic.

The greatest number of people to invite as much as possible: I have already said, if the modeling session can not listen to the views of the most extensive, it is not a successful meeting. However, in reality, it is often difficult to achieve. Because the target tissue as the clients are "pull", in the absence of a full understanding of the importance of the meeting prior to the scene to do all that is simply impossible. The objective will be the travel, vacation, there are events such as this is not the reason. Here, on the one hand, you need to target tissue of interest to clarify the decision-makers so that they attach importance to. On the other hand, you also need to take the initiative to invite the participation of project stakeholders. Invite all the people because it is impossible, so much to as much as possible.

The level of separation of the participants: I like to have a kind of inner circle, an outer ring of the conference room. All because I was not invited to do, so I would first like to ensure that all core staff to the scene, sitting in inner ring, and then the staff is a secondary, outer sitting. Core staff and your project is closely related to the kind of person. For example, the financial system, finance is the core of staff in charge. Core staff to ensure that everyone arrived at the scene for minor staff, the more the better the whole.

Started from the bottom: Comparison of the Chinese people have a bad habit, that is, a boss said, he will not say. So to speak first so that the bottom first and then turn the middle and then to the top. Developers do not speak, or listen to them, or words to guide you. If we let the leadership of the beginning to talk about it, that person will be the bottom of what goes without saying.

For all stakeholders listed all the points: First of all, to let you be able to speak their minds on the new system, and then put all the views are set out in the whiteboard. Here, the first may have some views will be very absurd, but there is no relationship, despite the write up. This is a process of brainstorming, it is easy to generate a new idea. Chaired by the major developers is to guide and encourage the idea of you to say more, and recorded. Here we digress a little look, it was said at the meeting the Chinese people are reluctant to express their views, I do modeling in this meeting do not have to worry too much about the matter. Why, because the project stakeholders do not need to speak for their responsibilities as Ho, said White, said that anyone not white.

The views Categories: your project must involve the public has tired some, creativity is about, do you estimate the whiteboard full. But you look at the whiteboard on the point of view, many of which have repeated that many are similar. So you need to use the logic of the concept of these views will be collated classified. This work can also be done by you and guide you.

Determine priority: the priority of the discharge point of view is also very important, it can help you identify major risks and iteration in the development of your plan to provide guidance. Similarly, this work should also be involved by the project to determine the public.

Survey of business logic: What is the main business logic? Including the main business processes of enterprises, the main business rules, the major algorithms. These are the very beginning the need for very clear information on meeting the need for a better understanding of modeling. Of course, you can not be related to your project a lively debate, "This, then, we talk about the main business logic of it." Stakeholders the following must have been speaking Greek. You should guide the stakeholders from the public discourse related to capture the information you need.

Note meeting time: people are not machines, are tired of. Therefore, the length of session control is crucial. General, this session will be 45 hours, according to statistics, within two hours of the meeting will not create a sense of fatigue. Therefore, the meeting should be divided into a few short paragraphs. In addition, you can progress in accordance with the meeting to decide to participate in each session the number above. Because the more the next meeting, some participants are less important.

To avoid the details: The main goal of modeling is to build high-end demand. If we spend too much time to discuss some trivial matters, it would waste everybody's time. Demand and the details of the investigation at this time there is no great significance. Because a lot of things you are not understanding the need for further in-depth. The details of this time and you do not have much help.

Avoid technology: I have a modeling session, the technology met a responsible stakeholder, he always asked about the system of non-stop technical architecture, to promote his design philosophy. I have made several times that "technical problems on our own to find time to talk about." I think that technical personnel should be a better idea, but also very much hope that a performance, which no cause for criticism. But this time is not the time to discuss technology, the demand has not been clear on what technology is not the cart before the horse?

Good record: As the saying goes, good memory and ability to write as rotten. So do a good record at the meeting is very crucial. Because such a high price for the meeting, your project can not be related to the public not to work every day, meeting with you, even if they are willing to, and their bosses refused. So to take full advantage of a good outcome of the meeting, so a good stenographer is absolutely necessary. In addition, according to research shows that if you use a tape recorder, it would make the participants rather than opening心存芥蒂, therefore, do not use tape recorders.

6. Test

On the demand mentioned in the initial stage of testing may be a bit puzzled. Any item, there will always be a standard to assess the success. The test refers to the examination of software project a success, "the implementation of goals."

This will be achieved is the ultimate software development to meet the conditions, the software to determine the success of the standard. Many enterprises in the construction of information when there is no clear goal. Asked in this aspect, he is often the answer is my goal is to build enterprise ERP system, the construction of enterprise information technology platform, such as empty words. How to develop such a software? Even the end of the standard are not. Is the end of the cost spent, or decision-makers so that the停就停. There should be a goal of quantifiable standards. For example, the development of the logistics system is designed to reduce working capital cycle, reduce inventory; the development of supply chain system is to strengthen the links and suppliers, reducing inventory. These and specific business-related indicators can be refined by a variety of sub-indicators to measure, therefore, can be done.

We are called to test this target is to remind the developers, it is necessary to meet this target as the ultimate test. No matter how good your software do not want to involve the public, what is the use? This is a very simple truth, but in practice, stakeholders and the development side, because a number of specific factors that do not see this. In fact, the goal in the last one we have said before, then we call it vision, scope. In essence is the same.

This "enforceable targets" can be used to measure a number of factors:

7. Business entities

Business entity (business entity) is the number of enterprises play a key role in the category. Customers, suppliers, employees, orders, certificates, business entities can cite many examples. Business entities, they often can be a very crucial factor, because in the system, the role of entities in the conduct of operations tend to be allocated to the business entity, such as "calculated in accordance with orders price" will become?? A number of business entities to cooperate with each other complete. Therefore, good or bad business entity designed the system have great influence.

Business entity designed to identify the main functions include business entities, business entities to determine the properties and behavior.

To determine the business entity must first determine the role, and identify the role of the conduct of business entities. The role of the target we need to discuss the organization. In my experience, the role of search operations is generally more simple, but we have to remember that a person may serve as several of the business role, which is often the case. From the conduct of the business role, we can identify the role of the business to deal with things, which is why we need the business entity. Business entity is a separate business entities, business entity or an attribute is worth studying. It is an attribute of the things that have been judged as only a business entity will have some overhead, but a separate category for the business of the entity has only been found for other business entities have a property may lead to disastrous consequences The biggest may be difficult to expand the system.

In a human resources management system, employees may be very important category of a business entity, it may have a lot of attributes. While in other systems, such as Invoicing, staff category only produce a record, only the role of rights management. Another example, some enterprises in the automation of internal processing system, the customer may only be the attributes of other entities, and customer-centric design is popular, this design has a fatal flaw in it.

To determine the attributes of business entities and behavior is to identify each major category (business entity) to do, attributes are intended to be able to better describe the type and category of things to do. The use of CRC cards is a good approach.

CRC is "Class" (class), "responsibility" (responsibility) and "subsidiary" (collaborator) three short常呈such information on a card now.

Class Name

1 responsibility 1 responsibility 1 auxiliary

2 the responsibility of the responsibility of the two assistants, 2

... ...

CRC through the production of such cards can be relatively easy to identify the behavior of each business entity (liability) and attributes (of assistants). You may ask, why do not directly identify the properties and behavior, but it superfluous. The problem is that we have been stressed. In the modeling stage, we are likely to have no knowledge of computer technology related to the public, so we readily accept the use of the method to ensure enough demand for a complete and correct.

8. Preparedness plans

At present, software development, there are two extremes on the plan misunderstandings.

Some software organizations in general do not plan to, or do some general, the plans are not useful. Some developers believe that the "plan is so nominal, not as good as the actual thing to do." For the project manager, or there is no way such a situation, or the release of plans to develop staff reduced, so plan a dead letter. Arbitrary implementation of the project in a great deviation from the direction of things occur from time to time.

While in other organizations, the project was seen as the most important, to spend a great deal of time, effort, plan to do is become obsessed with micromanaging, count pains. A written project manager of such a scheme is also seen as high-level talent. Developer sigh said, "to write the procedure as written documents." But in the implementation of the time, the original plan of precision is often full of loopholes, the progress of the project dragged on.

We all know the phrase made it clear: In terms of software development, to spend 90% of the time to complete 90% of the project and then 90% of the time to complete the remaining 10% of the project. Why? Plan unscientific.

In the management of science, planning, planning is also called, is defined as "the target for the organization to achieve strategic goals and means, steps, procedures of the process." Analogy that I want to tear down a box of a place, the where is my end, I order to get there, I was not to try to estimate what the road up, it is necessary to push fast. Then I began to push, but also from time to time and compare the original scheme, need to adjust routes and speed. This estimate is the plan.

The aim is not to eliminate errors, but for all the wrong turn into a pile of carefully planning a small error. After the four design studies, and ultimately to give up three, up to but no more than three minor errors, but not ready to rewrite the design of the program three times, but may result in the three big mistakes.

But how did we get the two extremes mentioned above it? The first case the software industry is actually the earliest form, no plans, resource allocation and confusion, the software development process in chaos, disorder, spontaneous state. Success of the project members and project depends on luck of personal ability. In fact, one of the second case and forward the form, the most typical representative of what we mentioned before the waterfall model. That well-conceived plan that is also easy to why the failure? Very simple, do you think that you consider carefully, but not necessarily in practice. I have seen advertised on their own well thought out plan from the schedule is 7 days a week. It seems he had no intention to break the developer. Plan is an estimate of the future, which person can be accurate to say six months later the situation, I am afraid that no one can do it. Prior to September 11, several people thought the day would be such a thing happened? Why do you calculate the half-yearly, or even a year later things? In addition, you really know your developers are confident that they plan to replace it?

Some people say that the plan did not change fast. This saying is true, it reminds us that there is no plan does not work, do not have the enforceability of the plan is not enough. Is not used to showing off is to be used to implement. We plan, we can not flowery words, a better idea. But we can not do without a number of elements:

What (WHAT): in order to achieve the objectives set out in the completion of the work required;

When (WHEN): completion of the work of the time required;

The extent possible (HOW-WELL): To complete the work of the criteria to measure;

Resources (RESOURCES): The staff needs to complete its work / money, etc.;

Who (WHO): who is responsible for the completion of the task.

However, we still can not escape the reality and the issue of departure from the plan. Although we expected a year later to grasp the little things, and grasp what the developer is not sure. But if you think about their own after two weeks it should still be able to guess it's pretty close. This brings the concept of iteration. A project by several or even dozens of cycles of iteration, each iteration cycle are relatively easy to estimate and to develop plans. This is the idea of iteration, but also software engineering a big leap in technology. Having said that, I have the appetite of everyone hanging. With regard to specific discussion of the development of iterative schemes, we will leave to the next section needs to discuss the details of the time talking about modeling.

9. The training of

It is difficult to imagine a project I do not how to conduct the training.兵书goes, "Army Food and fodder first." We can be understood as fully prepared in advance. Is the same project, will be designated at the beginning of a good training plan, set aside time for training. I think that unless it is a very perfect team, he is also a member of certain things or do not understand it, if there is no training plan to tear down the task of learning the individual heads of the risk of the project will become difficult to control.

Speaking of training, we may think we are having eight children sit there and listen to a teacher. Is not the case here, said the training is a broad range of training to a group of courses, a conference to a discussion of small, one exchange, training can be. And its purpose is to allow team members have adequate knowledge and skills to complete the project.